MAGE notes from Rosemary Brennan

from MAGE co-convenor Rosemary Brennan

Mansfield is in the midst of its Spring Arts Festival and one of the most exciting exhibitions is the Glass Art Exhibition showing at Martins Garage in Chenery Street. Now in its fifth year the exhibition includes works by nationally/internationally recognised and award winning artists such as Janine Tanzer, Jenni Kemarre Martiniello and Steven Skillitzi as well as emerging artists.

Gone but not forgotten by Janine Tanzer

Tanzer, recent winner of the 2015 Contemporary Australian Silver and Metalwork Award at Castlemaine Gallery, combines her silver/gold smithing skills with architectural glass work in Gone but not Forgotten. What appear to be found objects are delicately crafted items combining semi/precious metals with glass. Look for the green eyed cat, the fob watch, the silver birds amongst others.

Green multistrand fishtrap by Jenni Kemarre-Martiniello

Kemarre-Martiniello, a former winner of the prestigious Telstra Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award draws on her heritage to produce works which once were woven such as the fish trap and the bicornual basket. Fine canes are blown out to form intricate mono/multicoloured patterns in these works.

Skillitzi is a multi award winner over the 40 plus years of his art glass career. His monumental work – comprising four major components – amply demonstrates his casting skills in Mote, or Beam in Thine Eye, Brother.

Also look for Nicole Ayliffe and Sharon Harrison, joint winners of this year’s Kirra Emerging Artists Award. As well as a prize, Ayliffe and Harrison have the opportunity to exhibit at Kirra Gallery, Melbourne.

And last, but no means least, don’t miss Catherine Aldrete-Morris’ work entitled North Sea Skin. Delicate patterns are fused, the work slumped and then finely cold worked all over with a pattern of ‘dimples ‘to provide texture and to play the light. Whilst glass is a hard medium, this work is so tactile.

Other artists include Norman Beilby, Mark Howard, James McMurtrie, Denise Pepper, Marina Hanser and Cindy Poole to name just a few.